Zdeněk Tůma the former governor of the Czech National Bank (2000-2010), portfolio manager Martin Pětivoký and Martin Hubinger , the owner of residential developer Realism, have founded IRQ Funds and are launching a new fund named IRQ Residential Rental for qualified investors focused on rental housing.

Speakers at 2021 Property Investment Outlook 2021, an online event organised by Property Forum, have indicated unbroken market optimism. From living investments through the retail market to the office segment, participants in panel discussions expected positive changes and further growth in the CEE property market.

Hungarian developer Futureal has completed its first-ever green bond issue as part of the National Bank of Hungary's (MNB) Bond Funding for Growth Scheme (BGS). The company received bids worth HUF 59.92 billion for the bonds, which have a nominal value of HUF 50 billion. Futureal subsequently sold HUF 55 billion (approximately €150 million) of the bonds, for one of the largest issues under the BGS scheme. Futureal Group is currently developing projects with a gross space of more than 1 million sqm in Hungary. 

Multifamily investment has proven to be the most resilient real estate sector in Europe during 2020 and the new core, with a 6% increase year on year and a 17% increase on the past 5-year average, according to Savills.

In March 2021, Czech-Dutch investment company Fidurock has added a new asset to its residential portfolio in Prague.

Yareal has sold two office buildings forming the Neopark campus complex in Warsaw's Mokotów district to a French fund managed by Amundi Real Estate.

Dagesh Group, which owns the Platinum Center office building and developed other boutique residential projects, is investing  €6.5 million in a new residential project in Bucharest.

GTC has decided to extend its Hungarian portfolio with the Váci Greens D office building in Budapest. The transaction is partially financed from the green bonds issued in 2020 and is in line with the Group strategy to invest in a sustainable portfolio of commercial buildings located in the CEE capitals.

Travel restrictions and the inability to meet in person have caused a lot of headache for many market players but in many cases, it also provided certain types of investors with an advantage. Pavel Streblov, Business Director at Penta Real Estate talked to Property Forum about the company’s development and investment strategy and shared his expectations for the year ahead.

The InTeFi investment group has become the majority owner of the Cassovar Business Center I building in Košice following a €30 million acquisition. The building comprises 13,500 sqm of office space and a 7,000 sqm shopping gallery.